--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The successful salesperson cares first…" description: "\"The successful salesperson cares first for the customer, second for the products.\" — Philip Kotler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg" --- # The successful salesperson cares first for the customer… ![“The successful salesperson cares first for the customer, second for the products.” quote by Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg) > “The successful salesperson cares first for the customer, second for the products.” [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful salespeople prioritize customers first, then products, emphasizing service over self‑interest. **In simple terms:** Put customers before products. Key Takeaway Adopt a customer‑first mindset. Themes customer focus service prioritization Mood strategic practical Type business educational When to use this quote - sales training - customer service - product development Key Concepts marketing relationship building Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance customer needs with product excellence? - What metrics show customer satisfaction? A Different Perspective May neglect product innovation if over‑focused on service. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cares Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cares-customer-3413342/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Customer Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-second-3413341/) [Customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Salesperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesperson/) [Salesperson Cares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesperson-cares-3413340/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Salesperson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-salesperson-2758818/) ## Related quotes > [The first successful salesperson was not a man, it was Eve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/the-first-successful-salesperson-was-not-a-man-it-was-eve/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [The Unsuccessful Salesperson says, the other guy has the best territory. The Successful Salesperson says, every territory is the best one. The Unsuccessful Salesperson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-unsuccessful-salesperson-says-the-other-guy-has-the-best/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“The salesperson you’d ideally like to be and the salesperson you’d like to encounter as a customer should roughly be the same, shouldn’t they?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/the-salesperson-you-d-ideally-like-to-be-and-the-salesperson-you-d/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [Authentic marketing is not the art of selling what you make but knowing what to make. It is the art of identifying and understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/authentic-marketing-is-not-the-art-of-selling-what-you-make-but/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [The best way to hold customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-best-way-to-hold-customers-is-to-constantly-figure-out-how-to/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [If you want to be the best salesperson, first you must be the best person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/if-you-want-to-be-the-best-salesperson-first-you-must-be-the-best/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A person will buy something they really don't need off of a salesperson they really like before they buy something they desperately need off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flora/a-person-will-buy-something-they-really-don-t-need-off-of-a/) [Johnny Flora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flora/) > [“Selling is hard to teach because it is about what exists in your head and what goes on in your whole life. The objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-delves-broughton/selling-is-hard-to-teach-because-it-is-about-what-exists-in-your-head/) [Philip Delves Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-delves-broughton/) > [Everything about my journey to get Spanx off the ground entailed me having to be a salesperson - from going to the hosiery mills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/everything-about-my-journey-to-get-spanx-off-the-ground-entailed-me/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [“To a strong, proven salesperson, an objection is as welcomed as a rain shower on a hot day because it proves that the client…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-a-strong-proven-salesperson-an-objection-is-as-welcomed-as-a-rain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are Physical, Mental and Spiritual beings. If you don't deal with ALL OF LIFE you're not going to get all that life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/we-are-physical-mental-and-spiritual-beings-if-you-don-t-deal-with/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Salespeople are the most important people in any organization. Until a salesperson gets an order, nobody in the company has a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/salespeople-are-the-most-important-people-in-any-organization-until-a/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [“I encourage you to try the “so what” test. Listen to another salesperson on the phone attempting to earn an appointment with a tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-weinberg/i-encourage-you-to-try-the-so-what-test-listen-to-another-salesperson/) [Mike Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-weinberg/) > [I've done so many funny jobs. I worked at a farmer's market through high school. I worked in the stock room of Ralph Lauren.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-williams/i-ve-done-so-many-funny-jobs-i-worked-at-a-farmer-s-market-through/) [Allison Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-williams/) ## More by Philip Kotler > [The best way to hold customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-best-way-to-hold-customers-is-to-constantly-figure-out-how-to/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [The internet will create the winnerand bury the laggards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-internet-will-create-the-winnerand-bury-the-laggards/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [There is no such thing as a commodity. It is simply a product waiting to be differentiated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-commodity-it-is-simply-a-product-waiting/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Don’t buy market share. Figure out how to earn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/don-t-buy-market-share-figure-out-how-to-earn-it/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [The future isn’t ahead of us. It has already happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-future-isn-t-ahead-of-us-it-has-already-happened/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Marketing is the set of human activities directed at facilitating and consummating exchanges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/marketing-is-the-set-of-human-activities-directed-at-facilitating-and/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Curiosity is the starting point for great science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/curiosity-is-the-starting-point-for-great-science/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [There is much work to do to protect forests from over-timbering and oceans and lakes from over-fishing. We need to encourage and reward companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/there-is-much-work-to-do-to-protect-forests-from-over-timbering-and/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Great insight comes from seeing something as odd and finding out why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/great-insight-comes-from-seeing-something-as-odd-and-finding-out-why/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [CEOs need to produce continuous growth in sales and profits. Yet they must also invest in sustainability and social responsibility, which then leave them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/ceos-need-to-produce-continuous-growth-in-sales-and-profits-yet-they/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Requiring the payment of higher wages will lead to a loss of some jobs and a raising of prices which drives companies to search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/requiring-the-payment-of-higher-wages-will-lead-to-a-loss-of-some/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Republicans talk loudly about freedom and yet are against a women deciding what's best for her own body and are against the freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/republicans-talk-loudly-about-freedom-and-yet-are-against-a-women/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose of what you make. It is the art of creating genuine customer value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/marketing-is-not-the-art-of-finding-clever-ways-to-dispose-of-what/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Thomas Edison had great visions (for lights, music players, movies, etc.) but he knew they didn't count until he could make them work. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/thomas-edison-had-great-visions-for-lights-music-players-movies-etc/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [A country's middle class is its bedrock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/a-country-s-middle-class-is-its-bedrock/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) [Explore all 82 Philip Kotler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The successful salesperson cares first for the customer, second for the products.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Kotler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-for-the-customer-second-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-for-the-customer-second-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/philip-kotler-8278_care_the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-f_2795969.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The successful salesperson cares first for the customer, second for the products.” — Philip Kotler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip Kotler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The successful salesperson cares first for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-for-the-customer-second-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-successful-salesperson-cares-first-for-the-customer-second-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```